Thursday 1 December 2011

The True Hero...Karn....

A Hero is a male character in a story, play , movie or real life, who embodies qualities, virtues who does something brave, stands for certain values, A hero is someone we aspire to be like. He is someone we admire. A hero comes out better for adversity . In the whole of Mahabharata, there are several characters that teach us various lessons. There are various whose point of views are correct, there are two who are heroes by definition and one Who emerges the true Hero simply by virtue... Karn....

Karn is a shinning persona, and why shouldn't he be... He was the son of the Sun God. Kunti his mother was un-wed and hence discarded him. He grew up to be called "Radhe Putra" . Karn faced all possible discrimination and humiliation because of this one twist of fate. During the Swayamvar of Draupadi, on the goading of Lord Krishna, she rejected Karn due to his lower stature in life.Most people don't know How drawn Draupadi was to Karn till the very end. Duryodhana, made Karn the king of one of his Kingdoms, this act of Duryodhana, won the heart and Loyalties of Karn till his dying breath. Let me list out the subtle things Karn did that have gone perhaps unnoticed by most.

As a romantic at heart I will start with this one, Draupadi loved blue roses, Karn was the only one to notice this, even on the day of her rejecting him and welcomed her with a bunch of them when she entered the palace as a newly wed. Men claim to love, yet they make few attempts to understand the heart of the woman they love, here was a warrior sensitive enough to notice even flowers , a man large enough to welcome the very bride who rejected him.

The whole battle of Mahabharata was based on who's birth right was the throne of Hastinapur, by all means the right was only Karn's. By the right of the being the first born, by the right of his honorability, by the virtue of his valour, by the strength of his loyalty and by his large heart .

The second thing I eulogise is Karn's large heart. Not only is his he well known for his charities, down to the extent of literally peeling of his armour that was stuck to his skin and donating them, knowing fully well it was just a ploy to defeat him. When a disguised Indra ( father of Arjuna ) approached Karn and asked for his kavacha (body armour) and kundala (earrings) as alms. Karna readily gave them away, cutting the armour and earrings off his body. He was large hearted to live with an understanding his mother rejected him to save face. There came a time, when all knew he was Kunti's first born, how that son's heart must have risen in the hope of getting his mother's love and acceptance, how must his heart have leaped when she summoned him, only to be asked off something yet again. She asked him to spare her sons, she did not give him anything but birth and pushed him to his death. How bitter must be such a son's heart, yet he promised her at the end she would would still have 5 sons. ...Karn I would have been proud to be your mother, real or adopted. I know where ever Radhe is , she feels blessed to be known as your mother. No mother can hope to give better upbringing and values to her offspring.

As a friend karn always stood by the only friend he had. He paid back in blood  to Duryodhana for his act of kindness, empathy toward him. He fought against his real brothers. For me Karn is the epitome of true friendship.

Karn was plagued by various curses, he never gave in to despair, knowing well what doom the curses cast on his very future and safety, he braved them with valour. Knowing fully he would forget his learnings, his chariot wheel would be stuck in mother earth and he would be arrowed down like a cow, he went into the battle.He faced his uphill life never ceased his efforts , he was humble throughout.  he turned down the offer made to him by Krishna of the throne if he fought with the Pandavas as his allegiance and fidelity lay with Duryodhana.Karn single-handedly defeated all but one of the Pandavas on this sixteenth day of the Kurukshetra war, as related in the Mahābhārata. He overcame Bhima but left him alive, saying that as Bhima was younger than he was, he wouldn't kill him. He defeated Yudhisthira and also left him alive In the whole of Mahabharata I've yet to come across such a noble character apart from Dev-vrata ( Bheeshm Pitamaha).

The only failing I saw, where worse crimes were being committed, Karn called Draupadi a whore. A failing that is grave no doubt, but he laid not a finger on her. Bheeshm, Draunacharya, Drishstrashtra ( the king and father of Duryodhna) all sat mute spectators too , to the greatest humiliation of a woman, a queen, their daughter-in-law....They all paid a heavy price including Karn. yet Karn remains unforgettable, he remains the unsung Hero, he was the complete man, a man with love in his heart, generous to a flaw, forgiving, valiant, loyal and honourable to the very end. Karn you are the true hero of this Mega Epic wit thousands of characters including my favourite ( flawed) God Krishna. You stand the tallest amongst Heroes....

Karn you inspire me , I learn and understand the meaning of friendship, of courage, of a heart that are  is generous from you. More than I've learnt from the God's in our scripture, I learn from you, the Hero on the wrong side of history. I would love to be your wife, I would be honored to be your friend, I would be proud to be your mother...that's why Karn in the annals of history, you are my true hero...




1 comment:

  1. Everyone wants to be a hero , a very highly eulogized martyr ... but no one want to face the consequences ... well this silent "HERO" of our mythology has shown us all that the path is not easy ... lovely emotional piece ...:)

    ReplyDelete